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(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheen 2..

P. WRIGHT. GOIN PRBED GAS METER APPARATUS.

No. 548,494. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 8. P. WRIGHT. GOIN PREBD GAS METER APPARATUS.

No. 548,494. Patented 0st. 22, 1895.

ADIEN lGlMIM HWTQUTHD. WASH!!! GNN D C.

Uivrrnn STATES PATENT `einen.

FRANK WRIGHT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ooiN-FREED GAS-METER APPARATUS.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,49d, dated October 22, 189 5.

Application filed April 5, 1895. Serial No. 544,612. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK wWRIGHT, a citizen of England, residing at No. 2l Old Queen Street, Westminster, London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Coin-Freed Gas-Meter Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coin-freed apparaltus applicable to gas-meters so arranged that it can readily be applied to existing meters and can be worked by coins of two different values, such as pence and half-pence.

l shall describe apparatus according to my invention, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a perspective external view of an ordinary dry meter modified according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan with cover removed to show the internal mechanism. Fig. 3 is a section, partly in elevation, on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section, partly in elevation, on the line Y Y of Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are sections, respectively, on Z Z and W NV of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a modified form of Minelli,...4 Ww'wwmm M MV is the valve-shaft, which is caused to revolve in the usual way by the oscillating arms o c and links fu' fu', and which by worm-gear 'v2 causes the spindleA of the counter to revolve. On the spindle A is fitted, free to revolve a sleeve B, carrying a worm b, gearing with a wheel K of the coinfrced mechanism hereinafter described.

O is a disk fixed on the spindleAand having an arm D litted to slide radially on it and urged outward by a spring CZ. The outer end of the arm D is thickened and has one side shaped as a tooth d.

E is a disk loose'on the sleeve B, but fixed on the framing of the meter.

F is another disk, which by means of a rod f, projecting through a semicircular slot in the face of the counter, can be partly turned around. the spindle A and can be held in any desired position. Both the disks E and 'F have at their peripheries inwardly-projecting flanges cut away for half the circumference.

H is a toothed wheel xed on the sleeve B.

As the couuterspindle A revolves it carries around the disk G and arm D, the tooth CZ of which, being held engaged with the teeth of the wheel H by the fiange of the disk E or F,

causes the sleeve B to revolve, driving the coin-freed mechanism, but when after revolving a certain distance the end vof D escapes from under the flange of E or F its tooth CZ becomes disengaged from H, and A goes on revolving without driving B until the Aend of D again passes under the flange ot E or F, which causes its tooth CZ to engage again with and drive the Wheel H. Thus every revolution of the spindle A causes a less or greater fraction of a revolution of the sleeve B, according as the disk F is set with a greater or less'interval between its iange and the flange Vof E, and Vconsequently the wheel driven by B tion in the value of gas, the wheel K may be worked direct from the spindle A without in` tervention of any adjusting mechanism. In either case the wheel K has through it at equal intervals four Vholes of the size to allow passage of a penny. Above the wheel K is iixed a cylinder L, having in its side a horizontal slot Z for admitting the coin or a number of the coins, and a heavy plunger Z, which has to be raised by hand when a coin is to be introduced at Z,and which, when let go, presses down the coin or coins below it. The cylinder L may also have a vertical slot, as shown inFig. l, with an index Z2 attached to the plunger Z and showing on a scale how many coinsthere are under the plunger. On each side of the cylinder L, near its bottom, there is pivoted an arm Z3, having a stepped lower face which acts as a gravity-pawl, allowing one coin or several to pass under it and holding it or them down when passed.

M is the gas-supply pipe, which, instead of going direct to the slide-valves, as usual, is interrupted ,at M and has to pass through a valve-box containing a valve m, having its stem m projecting up through a stuffing-box and pressed by a lever carrying an adjustable penny. lino provision is required for varia- 

